The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-07-21
Legislating l. tor the Farner.

poue Whefe OH every country road
leading to town there is n low dark
place in the road, o bridge or ford
across stream that is said to be the
tavorito haunts Of the spooks of some
olden time individual whose name is
familiar with the earlier history of the |
community; it is in one of these
haunts that we propose to have an in
tervlew with one Of the spooks of We
olden time farmers az to resortinp to
Legislation to help the farmer of to-
day farm.
Tive should be passing one of these
haunts and stump our toe or feel
something suddenly pull our coat
tail-.look about and see nothing to
cause the shock. the superstition of
the old time plantation darkey instill
cd in our youthful mind would take
possession, and we are held spell
bound by the ghost of ye oldcn times,
So it is with us to-day; we are now
passing one of those low dark places
that are found along the road of pro-
8rcSs and prosperity, and the coat
tail of every branch of our industry
has been suddenly pulled by spook
which has brought about hush and
stagnation that seldom visit gencr-
alton more than once. While we are
thus held spell bound the query natu-
rally goes out from all these branches
Of our industry thus: "Whose tlrat?
what's the mattcr?". Some say it is
the attitude of the Federal Adminis-
tration towards silver and the tariff,
others say it is the spcculations Of
the schccming monopoists who are
continually dcmoralizing things by
comcring i'll any and every product
OF the country; and others say it is
the ghost of the farm--for every dis
tinguished citizen of our country.
however they may lave differed on
other pursuits, have united in the
opinion that successful svs5cm Of
agriculture is the blsi.s Of o,t1' pros
pvity We have interviewed the
politician, tho statesman, railroad
king, iron king, the merchant prince
and the professional men, but none of
these give so satisfactory IL solution
of the question of ''what's the matter
with the country" us u short inter
Wow with the ghost Of We oldcn
time farmers whose revelations are
as follows:
In the year 1882 7 was farmer
living iii the now called Piedmont
Bel; Of South Carolina, and crossed
this brICSEc on NY way TO market
Sometimes we hauled ali our sup
plies to Hamburg Nl0 milcs) at the
following prices: Wheat $l.UO, corn
GS cents, oats 35 cents, cotton 9 cents,
wool % cents, bacon and lard 10 and
y cents, beef ON foot &4.QO per hum
drcd. In those days all the farmers
wagons going to town were loaded
more or less with some of these pro-
duets G{ The farm, aud in addition,
poultry eggs, hutSer, t0i}uw, hides,
honey, bees wax, potatoes, dried fruit
and II few chcc@ hush our interview
is interrupted by The sound Of several
lOndrd wagons coming away from
town, and we soc in these wagons
corn and -four sacks full, bacon, lard,
Il few TN cans ri vegetables and fruits,
seed potatoes and various packages,
bundles and boxes; and thc spook
asks what manner of man is this, is
it II farmer! No, il can't be for he IS
loaded on his road home with thc
products of the farm, the very arti-
clcS we farmers of yc uldcn tnucs
made oar money on. Is he q mcr-
chant! No, for his packages are two
small Wen, then he must bo cross
between merchant, II farmer and II
fool; and the ghost of yc oldcn time
farmrcs lmcntcd the almost whole
extinction of this kind of men
from the land Of his Father,
and wonder why any sane man
would ask, what's the matter
with the country, when he could see
the towns supporting the country, in
stead OF the country feeling the
| towns.
Talk about lc&islating to help tho
! farmer when we have been taught
from our youth that the farmer has
the most independent and happicst
occupation of man. AS u class, the
Cplf Sln,Dnrti, i,,,r nl,cC ,,f fo,r,,,,,,, anal,